Pocket lighter



July 8, 1930. H. s'rRAus'sER 1,769,971

POCKET LIGHTER Filed July '7, 1927 CFI Pafentedauly s, T1930 IJNITED lsTA'il'rzs PATENT OFFICE HERBERT s. STRAUSSER, or CHICAGO,ILLINOIsQAssIGNOR To OTIs MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or' ILLINOIS POCKET LIGHTER Application yiled July 7,

This invention relates to pocket lighters,

and more particularly a novel ignition mechanism for lighting devices embodying a hydrocarbon saturated Wick, a pyrophoric element, and a member operative to contact with the pyrophoric element to project the sparks generated by such contact toward the exposed end of the wick.

The object of the invention is to provide a dependable, positive and safe igniter for pocket lighters.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a compact and convenient form of pocket lighter embodying certain novel features of construction hereinafter disclosed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Y Figure l is a general view of the 1lighter partly in elevation and partly in section.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through lthe lighter as taken on line 2 2 of Figure l. y

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lighter showing the manner in which the pyrophoric element is removed.

Figure 4 is a. perspective view of the pyrophoric element.

Figure 5 is a detail View in section taken on the plane of line 5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is adetail view of a modiied form of igniter bar..

Figure 7 is a View showing the positions of the cutting Vdisc of Figure 6.

The lighter comprises in general a metal i casing of convenient shape and size for carrying in the pocket and having mounted at one end thereof the ignition'mechanism presently to be describedin detail. The casing is preierably formed of a thin metal shell l flat-l tened on the sides and rounded at its Side edges. At either' end of the shell 1 are walls 2 and 3 permanently secured to the shell to form a liquid-tight casing for the hydrocarbon fuel. The lower or bottom Wall 2 (considering the lighter in its upright position) is relatively thicker than the shell and is provided with a single opening therethrough located near one end and closed by a Screw plug 4 flush with the bottom face thereof. The purpose of this opening will be presently 'an opening through 1927. Serial No.-203,911.

explained. The upper end wall 3 is 'likewise of increased thickness and forms a base for the igniter parts, which will now be decord-like wick 7 is inserted. The upper end portion of the sleeve is enlarged to form a shoulder seating on the top of the bushing With the end of the wick projecting above the end rf the sleeve. The'wick 7 extends downwardly into the casing which is preferably filled with cotton or other absorbent material.

At the opposite end of the top Wall 3 isa bifurcated post or standard 8 formed integral with a tubular stem 9 extended vertically downward into the-casing to a point short of the bottom wall 2. The upper end portion of the stem 9 is threaded at 9a to engage a tapped hole in the top wall 3, said post and stem being' inserted and screwed down with the base of the post seating on the top wall and held in position by a lock nut 9b on the threaded portion 9a of the stem. Pivotally mounted on the post is a snutfer bar l0 consisting of a reduced central portion 10a of circular crosssection and enlarged tips or ends 1-0" and l0c elongated axially and pointed at their tips. The bar 10 has an overall length slightly greater than that of the top plate so that the tip 10b adjacent the post 8 projects substantially its full length beyond the post. Also integral with the bar l0 is a combined cam and lever arm 11 extending downwardly from the underside of the bar immediately adjacent the junction of the tip '10b' and the central portion 10a. This arm l1 has the form of a thin web or blade projecting downward-v ly into the slot or bifurcation in the post 8, the bar being pivotally connected to the post by a pin 12 passing transversely through the post and the arm 11 just below the bar 10. At the opposite or free end of the bar 10 and integral with the tip l()c is a downwardly extending cap 13 'adapted to seat upon the beveled ed e of the bushing 5 of the wick mounting an to cover the exposed en d of the wick, when the lighter is not in use.

Within the tubular stem 9 is mounted a plunger pin 14 having a rounded upper end projecting upwardly through a bore of reduced diameter at the up r end of said stem. Belowthe pin 14 is a coil spring 15 bearing at its upper end against a head 14l at the lower end of the in- 14, and at its lower end a ainst a screw plixg 16 closing the lower end o the stem. The scre'w plug is'slotted at its y lower end to receive a screw driver inserted through the opening in the bottom wall 2 of the casing when its closure plug 4 is removed, it being noted that said opening is directly below the end of the stem. By adjusting the screw plug 16 the tension exerted by the spring 15 on the plunger in 14 may be 1ncreased or decreased, and ence, in turn the pressure of said pin against the lower edge of the lever arm 11 with which it has bearing and sliding contact. kAs will be presently pointed out, the pressure of the plunger 14 against the edge of the lever arm 11 opposes the initial pressure exerted by the linger in operating the lighter, suilicently to obtain the quick or snap action essential for posltive ignition of the wick. To understand this action more clearly, it will be observed that in the closed position of the snuier bar Figure l), the tip of the plunger is presse upwardly against the lower extremity. of the lever arm formed by two cam faces 118L and ,11", meeting in a point 11- oifset slightly to the left of the axis ofthe plunger, so that the contact is just .beyond the point 11c and against the inner cam face 11b which is straight and inclined at an angle of about to the vertical. The other or outer cam face 11* is an are of a circle, the center of which is eccentric to the axis of the ivot pin 12. It is to benoted also, that the axis of the plunger pin 14 is oiset from the vertical line of the pivot pin 12, so that in the closed position of the snuler bar, the plunger acts to hold the same in closed position. Hence to actuate the bar 10 downward pressure is applied on the tip 10* thereof, with either the thumb or foreinger of the hand holding the lighter, this pressure being momentarily resisted by the plunger bearing against the cam face 11b of the lever arm 11. Now, when the finger pressure overcomes the resistance offered by the plunger, the tip 11 of the lever arm slides over the end of the plunger, bringing the curved cam face 11Il into contact therewith, this releasing of the lever arm by the plunger vimparting the quick movement or snap.

The pyrophoric element, and the means for activating the same, will now be described: Intermediate the wick mounting and the post 8 is a lixed support for the pyrophoric element, consisting of a post 17 secured in the top wall 3 by a base portion 17a extending through an aperture in said wall and having its lower portion upset. The main portion of the post 17 extends u wardly above the surface of the top wall, a though by preference the centraliportion is depressed by the formation of a recess 18 extending from the wick mounting to the post 8, asl shown in Figure 3. The post 17 is moreover slotted in the directionl of the groove yto provide a slot 19 of a height slightly greater than the depth of the recess and slightly narrower than the width thereof. This slot forms a guide for an endwise sliding igniter bar 20 having an upturned knife edge or blade 20n at its forward end and on the side of said post 17 adjacent the wick. The igniter bar 20 extends lengthwise of the groove 18 and beyond the post 17 in the direction of the pivoted'end of the bar 10, terminating in a bifurcated arm or yoke 20b inclined upwardly at a slight angle and having its ends flattened in a vertical plane, which straddle the depending arm 11 of the snuil'fer bar 10 and pivotally connected thereto near its outer edge and just above the cam face 11 by a pin 21. Mounted on the top of the post 17 is a short tension screw 22 anchored in a tapped hole in said post and having a flat circular head 22a with a milled or knurled edge. The post 17 also supports through the medium of the screw 22, a carrier or holder 23 for the pyrophoric element, the same consisting of a relatively flexible metal strip having a bifurcated or forked portion 23n at one end which also straddles the lever arm 11 and is fixed on the pin 12, thus anchoring the carrier securely at one end. The tension screw 22 passes through the carrier 23 substantially midway its length, thus providing a free end portion 23b extending toward and terminating short of the wick mounting in the form of a flat re silient strip having a downturned lip 23c with two space notches 23d therein. Beneath the free end portion 23b of the carrier 23 is a thin forked plate 24 pivotally mounted'at one end on the shank of the screw 22 and lying flatwise against the underside of the carrier. The forked ends of said plate form a pair of parallel spring lingers 24a-24a having upturned ends adapted to engage and lock within the notches 23d in the lip of the upper strip 23. Between the free end portion of the upper strip and the plate 24 is removably held the pyrophoric element 25 (Figure 4) consisting of a small block of the pyrophoric substance, usually termed a flint", secured to a metal base plate 25a of slightly greater width, by means of prongs 25b struck up from the platev and engaging around the base of the block. The pyrophoric element is inserted into the holder by swinging the carrier plate 24 outwardly at right angles,

as shown in Figure 3, sliding the element endwise onto the plate with the block projecting downwardly between the lingers 24, and

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meaevi then swinging the carrier plate forwardly again to its initial position beneath the carrier, at the same time springing the ends of the fingers into the notches 23d to lock the flint in place. The swingingcarrier plate 24 and the carrier 23, are held in place by means of a coil spring 26 mounted on the shank of the tension screw 22, and bearing at its lower end on the post 17, and at the upper end against the pivoted end of the carrier plate.'

For filling the casing with a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, an opening for this purpose is preferably provided in one of the nat sides and near the top wall. Just below the top wall?, and in the interior of the casing is a semi-circular metal boss 27 of the same thickness as the interior of said casing, and held in place by soldering or, if desired, it can be made integral with the top wall 3. Extending transversely through thev boss 27 is a large hole' 27 registering at one end with a hole in the wall 1 of the casing, thus forming a cavity which is closed by a screw plug 28 engaging threads adjacent the entrance to the cavity. The cavity communicates with the interior of the casing through a plurality of small radial bores 27h drilled through the bottom of the boss forming the cavity. The screw plug 28 has a fiat head 28a with a knurled edge, the face of said screw being suitable for a monogram or initials.

Now to describe the operation of the igniting mechanism and the adjustment incident thereto: The action of the bar 10 by the downward pressure of the finger and the momentary opposition of the plunger to give positive ignition as the bar is released and thrown upwardly into substantially upright position, has already been explained. The upward movement of the end 10c of bar 10 manifestly uncovers the wick end and at the same time actuates the reciprocating bar 20 with a correspondingly quick movement toward the exposed end of the wick. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the upturned blade 2Oa at the forward end of the bar 2O has contact with the downward face of the block 25a of pyrophoric substance, the edge of said blade being beveled and slightly rounded so that on its forward stroke there occurs a cutting or scraping action, generating the sparks which are projected into the zone ofthe saturated wick end with a resulting ignition. In this connection, attention is directed to the fact that the cap 13 is held in positive seating contact over the wick end yby the pressure exerted on the pivoted end of the snuffer bar by the spring plunger 14, to the end that a quantity of highly combustible gas is trapped in the cap. Thus when the cap is lifted the sparks are simultaneously thrown into this zone of combustion surrounding the wick, thereby insuring positive ignition. In

short, the gas is primarily ignited, which in turn ignites the wick. l

In order to generate sparks in the manner described, a certain amount of pressure is required between the pyrophoric element and the blade 20". This is provided for by the tension screw 22 passing through the flint carrier. As shown in Figure 1, the carrier bears against the underside of the screw head 22a, being yieldably held in this position by the coil spring 26. Thus by turning the tension screw downwardly, the carrier 23 is lowered until the proper contact is obtained between the blade 20a and the pyrophoric element 25. Similarly, by releasing the tension screw, the pressure can be relieved, the spring 26 acting in an upward direction to force the pyrophoric element away from the reciprocating blade to reduce the sparking or eliminate it entirely. This tension adjustment, therefore, provides a safety device to prevent ignition should the igniting mechanism. be accidentally released when in the pocket. Thus by a slight turn of the tension screw 22 in a direction to reduce thepressure.I ignition is prevented even though the action is completed and while the lighter is being carried in the pocket. Likewise, a slight turn in the opposite direction restores thepressure, and the lighter will operate. To extinguish'the lighted wick, it is only necessary to press the bar into closed position, as is common in lighters of this type, the cap 13 snufing out the flame and covering the wick end until again ignited in the manner already described.

After continued use, the pyrophoric element necessarily wears down, thus requiring adjustment of the tension screw to maintain the igniting contact. In time the pyrophoric elementI becomes completely worn out, and a new one must be inserted. This is accomplished by swinging the carrier plate 24 to one side, as already explained and as shown in Figure 3, removing the worn element and replacing with a new one. @ne or more extra flints can be carried in the cavity formed in the casing, which ismade sufliciently large for this purpose, aside from serving as a filling opening.

In Figure 6 a modified construction for the ignition bar is disclosed. In this form, the bar 30 is cylindric in shape, although operatively connected with the snuiier bar in the same manner as the one previously described. At the free end of the bar is a steel f ing 30a for the disc which is held thereon by v a washer l32, the end of the reduced portion being upset to hold the washer. The bearing portion 30 is slightly longer than the thickiis i ness of the for said igniter bar,

disc and a little smaller than the opening through the disc, so that. there is considerable play or looseness. Moreover, the disc is beveled with the cutting edge lat the forward face of the disc, that is, nearest the wick, so that as the disc is carried forward in contact with the flint, it is tilted slightly out of a plane at right angles to its path of movement, thus presenting a sharp cutting edge to the surface of the flint. During the return movement or stroke, the disc tilts at a corresponding angle in the opposite direction with the result that its contact with the surface of the flint is more nearly along the beveled portion of the edge. In this manner, the cutting or spark enerating contact between the disc and the int is confined to the forward stroke, thus reducing or eliminating the wear on the flint during the return stroke. The disc form of cutteris also desirable since it aiiordsa longer cutting edge which is continually changed due to the rotation of the disc on its axis. p

Other modifications and departures from the devices herein described may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore I-do not wish to be limited except in so far as the invention is deined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An igniter comprising a base, a wick having an exposed end extendinor above said base, and an igniter for said wik end, comprising a snui'er bar pivoted at one end on said base and having a 'cap at its free end adapted to cover said wick end, an igniter bar mounted intermediate said wick end and the pivoted end of said snufer bar and having ivotal connection at one end with said snu er bar and provided at its opposite end with a transverse cutting edge, a post mount-- ed on said base and slotted to form a guide a pyrophoric element carrier mounted adjacent the path of said igniter bar for Contact with the edge thereof, and a tension screw anchored in said post and engaging said pyrophoric element carrier for adjusting the position of the same relative to the path of said cuttingedge.

2. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a casing having a wick projecting therefrom, a bar fulcrumed on said casing adjacent one end and having a cap at its free end adapted to cover the end of said wick, said bar being extended beyond its'fulcrum to provide an operating lever and having a cam lever extending toward said casing at right angles to said operating lever, a sprin plunger mounted in said casing with its en bearing againstthe edge of said cam lever and acting to yieldably oppose the pressure exerted on said operating lever, and ignition mechanismv mounted on said casing between said wick and said bar adjacent said fulcrum.

3. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a casing, a wick in said casing, having its end projecting'therefrom, a bar fulcrumed adjacentone end and provided with a cap at its opposite en adapted to seat over the end of said wick, said bar being extended beyond its fulcrum to provide an operating lever and having a cam lever extending at right angles from its fulcrum toward said casing, a s ring plunger mounted in said casing and a apted\to bear against the edge of said cam lever at a point otlset from said fulcr'um in the direction of the free end of said bar said lunger acting on said cam lever to exert a yie ding pressure on said bar to hold the same in closed position and to momentarily resist the movement of said bar under pressure applied to said operating lever to actuate the same, and ignition mechanism mounted on said casing and operatively connected with said bar adjacent its fulcrum.

4. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a i fuel casing a wick in said casing having its end projecting therefrom, a bar fulcrumd adjacent one end on the exterior of said casing and provided with a cap at its opposite end adapted to seat over the end of said wick, said bar being prolonged beyond its fulcrurn to mounted in said casing and bearing endwise' against the cam face of said cam lever adjacent said point and exerting a yielding ressure on said bar to hold the same in close position and to momentarily resist the pressure on said operating lever and ignition mechanism mounted on said casing and operatively connected with said bar adjacent its fulcrum.

5. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a fuel casing having a wick projecting therefrom, a snuter bar fulcrumed intermediate its ends on said casing and having a cap at one end adapted to seat over the end of said wick and formed as an operating lever at its opposite end, and a cam extending from said bar towa-rds said casing adjacent the fulcrum, a spring pressed member mounted on said casing and bearing against said cam to yieldingly oppose the pressure exerted on said operating lever, and ignition mechanism mounted on said casing adjacent said wick and operatively connected with said snufer member.

6. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a casing having `a wick projecting therefrom, a snuiier bar fulcrumed on said casing and having a cap at one end adapted to cover the end of said wick, said bar being extended at its opposite end beyond'the fulcrum to provide an operating lever, and extended toward on the exterior of saidcasin its fulcrurn to provide a cam lever, a spring said casing to form a cam lever, a spring plunger mounted in said casing and bearing at its end against the edge of said cam lever to yieldingly oppose "the pressure exerted on said operating lever, and ignition mechanism mounted on said casing between said wick and the fulcrum of said bar and means operatively connecting said ignition mechanism with said bar.

7. In ahpocket lighter, the combination of a fuel casing havinga wick projecting therefrom, a snui'er bar fulcrumed on said casing at a distance from said wick, and having a cap at one end adapted to seat over said wick,

said bar being extended beyond said fulcrum at its opposite end to provide an operating lever and extended toward said easing below actuated plunger mounted in said casing and bearing at its end against the edge of 'said cam lever to yieldingly oppose the pressure exerted on said operating lever, and ignition mechanism mounted on said casing between said wick and the fulcrum of said bar, and means connecting said ignition mechanism with said bar adjacent its fulcrurn.

8. In a pocket lighter, the combination of a fuel casing having a wick end projecting therefrom, a snuier member pivotally mounted on said casing and having a portion adapted to seat over said Wick end, said snuii'er member being provided with a cam, a 4resiliently pressed member adapted to bear against said cam, said cam being shaped to oppose movement of the snufer member from the closed position and to present an eccentric surface to the resiliently pressed member in its intermediate positions, and ignition mechanism operatively connected with said snuifer member.

Signed at Chicago, Ill., this 30th da)1 of June, 1927.

HERBERT S. STRAUSSER. 

